Heritage Impact Assessment
Site: Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
Proposal: Outline Permission including access: Demolition of existing agricultural buildings. Erection of 15 new dwellings, re‐positioned access to site with footway link to village hall.
JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
Revision Schedule
Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
Project Reference Number: 1562
April 2018
Rev Date Details Prepared by Reviewed by Approved by 00 March 2018 Draft Clare Vint Mark Philpot Mark Philpot Senior Heritage Managing Director Managing Director Consultant
This document has been prepared in accordance with the scope One Planning Ltd. of One Planning Ltd.’s appointment with its client and is subject to the terms of that appointment. It is addressed to and for the Unit 3 sole and confidential use and reliance of One Planning Ltd.’s client. One Planning Ltd. accepts no liability for any use of this Gateway document other than by its client and only of the purposes for which it was prepared and provided. No person other than the 83‐87 Pottergate client may copy (in whole or in part) use or rely on the contents Norwich of this document, without the prior written permission of the Managing Director of One Planning Ltd. Any advice, opinions, or Norfolk recommendations within this document should be read and NR2 1DZ relied upon only in the context of the document as a whole. The contents of this document do not provide legal or tax advice or opinion. Tel: 01603 518333 or 020 3657 7620 Email: [email protected] © One Planning Ltd www.oneplanning.co.uk
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
Contents
Page
Non‐executive Summary 4 1 Introduction 5 2 Context 6 3 Development Proposal 7 4 Relevant Policy and Legislation 8 5 Heritage Assessment 9 6 Explore the way to maximise enhancement and minimise harm 16 7 Public Benefit 17
Appendix 1: Designation Descriptions
Appendix 2: Research and Further Information
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
Non‐executive Summary
The development of site has been assessed for its potential impact on the setting of St Nicholas Church listed grade I, Church Farmhouse and Church House and Church Cottage listed grade II. The development has also been assessed for its impact on the Conservation Area and the setting of the Conservation Area. All designated heritage assets.
The removal of the existing large barns will have a positive impact, however, the overall impact due to the edge of village location and proximity of designated assets the outline proposal has a slight negative harm overall on a number of the setting of these assets. This is ‘less than substantial harm’ or minor harm, which must be balanced against the public benefits of the scheme such as the provision of starter homes (a form of affordable housing), a new 246m safe footpath access to the village hall, removal of the eyesore barns and potential enhancement to the settings of these assets.
All matters except access are reserved matters on this planning application, meaning that there are opportunities to resolve potential harm to the settings of heritage assets following submission of a further planning application to deal with detailed matters of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.
The proposed development of the site will be capable of complying with the law, national policy and guidance and local policy as set out in section 4.
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
1. Introduction
1.1 This Heritage Impact Assessment has been prepared by One Planning & Heritage Consultants on behalf of the applicants, JD Alston (estates), in relation to planning application ref. 3PL/2017/0948/O. It is submitted in support of their full planning application for change of use of the site to 15 homes, including 4 starter homes and a new public foot path.
1.2 This Statement assesses the impact of development of the site against relevant national and local planning policy considerations and setting of Church Farmhouse, St Nicholas’ Church and Church House and Church Cottage all listed buildings.
1.3 The Heritage Statement has been written by Clare Vint, Senior Heritage Planner, a full member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation.
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
2. Context
Site and location
2.1 The site is located on land at Church Farm, which is currently used for farm buildings including grain silos, at North Lopham.
2.2 Part of the site lies within the North Lopham Conservation Area, to the rear of Church Farm Stables.
2.3 The site lies immediately adjacent to the settlement boundary.
2.4 To the north of the site lies the grade II listed church farmhouse, church farm stables converted to residential use, and 1‐3 the Woodlands developed c.1988. Beyond these lies the grade I listed, St Nicholas Church.
History and development
2.5 There is little available evidence of pre‐historic settlement, although there are scattered finds and Iron Age coins have been found with in the Parish. To the east of the current village of North Lopham a Roman Villa was discovered. The village is a Saxon or earlier settlement being referred to in 1086 as Lopham Magna in the Doomsday Book.
2.6 The 1797 Faden Map and the 1826 Bryant Map show buildings in the vicinity of the farm. The Tithe Map of 1845 shows a similar pattern of development. The Ordinance Survey map of c.1880 shows a similar arrangement, no buildings are shown on the site itself.
2.7 The 1946 Aerial shows the house and a number of farm buildings to the south east of the house to a different arrangement than the current layout, with a pond close to the present drive entrance. There are no buildings on the site.
2.8 The 1988 Arial shows the barns on the site and the farmhouse and unconverted stables, with a single drive and a visible hedge between the site and the farmhouse’s garden. The Woodlands properties are under construction/newly completed. Knew House and New House are built (after 1946).
Planning history
2.9 The following planning history is shown online:
Outline application for demolition of existing agricultural buildings. Erection of 15 new dwellings, re‐positioned access to site with footway link to village hall, undecided, ref 3PL/2017/0948/O Renovation and extension of conservatory, approved 18.1.05, ref 3PL/2004/1904/LB Rebuilding chimney stacks to match existing design, approved 9.2.96, ref 3PL/1996/0023/LB Erection of clay pantile and rendered front porch, approved 9.11.95, ref 3PL/1995/1016/LB
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
3. Development Proposal
3.1 Details of the outline development proposal are set out in the documents which accompany the planning application. Demolition of existing agricultural buildings. Erection of 15 new dwellings, re‐positioned access to site with footway link to village hall.
3.2 The existing barns and grain stores are to be demolished together with some areas of hard standing and the vehicle weighbridge. The single species evergreen cupressus hedge is also proposed to be removed labelled G1 on the Tree Plan. The Poplar to the south west corner of the site (T1) which is ivy covered and in poor condition is also proposed to be removed.
3.3 15 homes, four of which are proposed to be starter homes, with associated parking, garaging and drives are proposed.
3.4 A balancing pond and new landscaping is proposed.
3.5 A new footpath to link the existing to the north of the site to the Village Hall approximately 0.2miles to the south on the existing agricultural land.
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
4. Relevant Policy and Legislation
Legislation
4.1 Planning (Listed Buildings and Areas) Act 1990, as amended.
National Policy and Guidance
4.2 The understanding of heritage assets and the impact of development on them and their setting is one of the core planning principles set out in National Planning Policy Framework, 2012 (NPPF) at para. 17, bullet 10 ‘conserve heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance, so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of this and future generations’. Para’s 131 to 139 set out how local planning authorities should make decision in relation to applications relating to the historic environment and further guidance is given in the national Planning Practice Guidance Conserving and Enhancing the Historic Environment, 2014 (PPGHE).
4.3 Paragraph 132 of the NPPF advises that the significance, or importance, of a heritage asset (listed building, conservation area or locally listed building etc.) may be harmed through development within its setting. The harm caused may be ‘substantial’ or ‘less than substantial’. In order to asses this it is necessary to set out in sufficient detail the significance of any heritage assets affected by the development so that the potential impact of the proposal can be fully understood (para. 128).
4.4 In addition to national planning policy and guidance Historic England (HE) have produced “Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning: 2: Managing Significance in Decision‐Taking in the Historic Environment” 2015 (GPA2), and “Historic Environment Good Practice Advice in Planning: 3: The Setting of Heritage Assets”, 2017 (GPA3), are relevant to this application. These three principle documents guide what and how the Heritage Assessment is made.
Local Policy
BDC Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Document, Adopted 2012
4.5 The adopted Development Management Policies will inform future planning decisions. The following relevant policies are as follows:
Policy SS1: Spatial Strategy Policy DC12: Trees and Landscape Policy DC16: Design Policy DC17: Historic Environment
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
5. Heritage Assessment
Introduction
5.1 A heritage assessment sets out the impact of proposed works on designated heritage assets (scheduled monuments, listed buildings, conservation areas, world heritage sites, registered parks and gardens, protected wreck sites and battlefields) and non designated heritage assets (locally listed buildings, other buildings with architectural or historic special interest, other archaeological sites amongst others) or the setting of any of these heritage assets.
5.2 In this instance this assessment is evaluating the setting of the grade I listed St Nicholas Church, and the grade II listed Church farmhouse, Church House and Church Cottage, together with the Conservation Area and its setting. The assessment also looks at the site itself.
Significance of Affected Assets
5.3 The definition of significance is set out in the Glossary to the NPPF as ‘The value of a heritage asset to this and future generations because of its heritage interest. That interest may be archaeological, architectural, artistic or historic. Significance derives not only from a heritage asset’s physical presence but from its setting’. Historic England set out in their ‘Conservation Principles, Policies and Guidance’, 2008, at page 72 that ‘The sum of the cultural and natural heritage values of a place often set out in a statement of significance.’ The Conservation Principles also define what may be included within archaeological, architectural, artistic or historic interest of a heritage asset. In relation to a number of building types Historic England have also produced a number of listing guides called Selection Guides.
5.4 Each assessment of significance of the heritage asset and/or its setting has been examined in relation to the Conservation Principles and the relevant building selection guide for listing. We have assessed the degree or level of value or interest based on the following:
High: scheduled monument, grade I or II* Moderate: locally designated monument, grade II, conservation area or locally identified asset Low: grade II, conservation area or locally identified asset where remote from the development Negligible: none is visible or known.
Significance of Church Farm
5.5 Dating to the late 16th century the grade II listed church farmhouse is a typical vernacular high status farmhouse for the era, with high floor to ceiling heights, close studded timber framing and wattle and daub infil (later rendered to the exterior) all under a steeply pitched thatched roof. The scale and proportion of the building, particularly the floor to ceiling height indicate that this was a new building in the late 16th century, whether there is an earlier building on the site is unknown, however new patterns of land management and the creation of new farms to run and manage the manor land developed from this time. (Documentary research in this matter is beyond the scope of this assessment.)
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
5.6 The building has been extended over time. Many of the outbuildings are now in domestic use and many older ones have been demolished. The converted stables being a more recent addition. The domestic garden has been created and the farmhouse severed from the farm. The garden is mature and offers separation from the site. A further overgrown cupressus hedge further screens the farmhouse from the site.
5.8 The farmhouse has high evidential and illustrative values on the national scale, when assessed against the listing criteria set out in ‘Domestic 1’ the farmhouse should remain designated. The historic outbuilding attached to the farmhouse should also remain designated. The former stables have been altered and converted, the degree of rebuilding is unknown further investigation in relation to their significance is required before advice can be given as to whether these are/should remain protected (this is outside of the scope of this report).
5.9 The large barns on the site are not considered to be curtilage listed as they are not of architectural or historic merit, and due to their date (post 1948), location (outside of the natural garden boundary and beyond former historic outbuildings), and function do not naturally fall within curtilage of the farmhouse as set out in curtilage listing guidance.
5.10 The presence of buildings and hard stranding across most of the site is likely to mean that the archaeological potential of the site is low, the ground being disturbed.
5.11 The severing of the farmhouse from the farm, the domestication of the former farmyard, the conversion/rebuild of the stables, construction of 1‐3 Woodlands, New House and Knew House have all had a negative impact on the setting of the farmhouse, with loss of the connection between its historic function and the change of use of land in the immediate vicinity.
5.12 Visible above the buildings and many of the trees, the roofs to the site barns provide a distant neutral background to the farmhouse when viewed from Church Road. A neutral to slight negative impact on the setting, if they weren’t there the backdrop would be sky, which is still visible above.
5.13 The farmhouse’s important setting is now limited on the southern side of the road to its gardens and the joint drive with the Stables (no assessment is needed of the road or to the north of the road for the purpose of this report). Beyond this area to the south, east and west the significance of the setting is significantly reduced due to the severance and the lower visual quality. Both areas of the setting are impacted by existing traffic, activity and noise due to the proximity of other dwellings and vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Overall, the immediate setting is of high significance to the designated heritage asset and the wider setting of negligible to low significance to it.
Significance of St Nicholas’ Church
5.14 The 14th century St Nicholas’ Church is listed grade I for its evidential, illustrative, associative, commemorative and spiritual value, all of which are high on the national scale. George Plunket’s photograph of the exterior of the Church in 1965 from the south west, it shows the Church much as it is today. There have been changes to the churchyard, most notable is the low wall close to the street which is now hidden by vegetation, this was a flint wall with brick corners and capping; it is shown on the Ordinance Survey as part of a small building in 1904
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
and 1950 (http://www.georgeplunkett.co.uk/Norfolk/N/N%20Lopham%20St%20Nicholas'%20church% 20from%20SW%20[4961]%201965‐08‐20.jpg)
5.15 The setting of the Church has changed, quite significantly since the mid‐20th century with the building of 1‐3 The Woodlands, Knew and New House, two dwellings to the west of the Church, and the conversion of the Stables to Church Farmhouse all being in close proximity to the Church. Farm buildings at Grange Farm and at Church Farm (the site) although set slightly further away also have a negative impact on the setting of the Church both visually and as an effect on the tranquillity. Those at Church Farm particularly dominate the view from the south being both tall and bulky and immediately adjacent to open farmland without their own landscaping. The impact is reduced somewhat by the thick hedge and bank on eastern side of the road to South Lopham. However, as can be seen in Photograph 1, taken opposite the Village Hall, looking north they dominate the view and Photograph 2.
Photograph 1: View taken opposite the Village Hall looking north.
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
Photograph 2: View from looking north
5.16 The setting of the Church maintains high significance within the Churchyard, as with many Churches the generally tranquillity over time has reduced. The relationship between the adjacent listed buildings has altered little, although landscaping to the gardens and the business of the road will have changed over time. In the wider setting the negative impact of the new buildings and the farm buildings and loss of a strong functional relationship with the adjacent agricultural land has reduced the significance of the setting. Further afield, the significance of the extended setting becomes higher again, due to the height of the Church tower in relation to the mostly 2‐2.5 storey buildings and the mostly flat and open landscape.
Significance of Church House and Church Cottage
5.17 The former Mediaeval hall house has been ceiled over, and significantly altered, with little external evidence except that the unusual appearance of the building hints that this is not an early 16th century new build. The former extent of the ‘hall house’ is also not clear externally, ascertaining whether this, or another, is the manor house for North Lopham is difficult, it may simply have been a farmhouse owned by the manor by which they built the Church or vice versa. Documentary research in this matter is beyond the scope of this assessment.
5.18 It is significant due to its evidential and illustrative value, moderate on the national scale, and when considered against the national selection criteria ‘Domestic 1’ the building should remain a listed building.
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
5.19 The setting of these buildings has been changed over the years, with the building being split into two, out buildings being demolished and their gardens becoming domesticated together with the construction of New House and Knew House opposite the significance of the setting to the heritage assets has reduced. The level of tranquillity which might be expected in a village location is not considered relevant here, with Church Road being a significant local route and cars, vans and lorries, including those for the site causing a level of disruption. The significance of the setting to these buildings is moderate.
5.20 There is no intervisibility between the site and these designated heritage assets. The level of noise and disturbance will have no impact on the setting. No further assessment is necessary.
Significance of North Lopham Conservation Area
5.21 There is no conservation area appraisal or management plan for the North Lopham Conservation Area (CA), neither is the date of designation published or the details from the original committee report which would have set out the original reasons for designation.
5.22 The settlement of North Lopham can be directly traced back to the Saxon Period. Earlier settlement is evidenced with a Roman villa known to the north east of the site and earlier human activity dating back to the Neolithic. The oldest standing building is the Church, formerly dedicated to St Andrew. Church House and Church Cottage’s origins are as a single medieval hall house with later additions. There are a number of post‐mediaeval buildings forming the settlement which follows the current alignment of the principle road, other roads and footpaths has disappeared, of note that which completed the loop around the Church to its west has disappeared under Grange Farm, which gave a less linear form to the village historically, although it’s not clear how developed this was.
5.23 The CA’s significance relates to the form and layout of the settlement, the relationship of buildings to the street, and its development over time, together with its attractive appearance. There are a number of negative areas within the CA in proximity to the site including the modern farm buildings at Grange Farm (part within the CA) various boundary treatments and cupressus type overgrown evergreen screening and large areas of tarmac/concrete hardstanding and drives. There is the opportunity to enhance the CA.
5.24 The part of the CA which falls within the site is laid to grass at the rear of the former stables. It has no significance. It is probably a result of a former land boundary which was in existence at the time of designation of the CA. No further assessment of impact on the conservation area is required.
5.25 The remainder of the site lies within the setting of the conservation area. The materials and form of the barns, the hard standing, silos and other equipment, are typical of mid to late 20th century farm development, in Norfolk, often farms on the edge of villages, or those which become part of a village due to infill development exhibit this character, it is not untypical. Here, however, the scale of the buildings in relation to the smaller scale of the historic element of North Lopham has a negative impact on the setting of the CA which means that the setting in this area does not contribute to the significance of it.
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
Assessment of Impact
5.26 No heritage asset is directly impacted by the proposal and no further assessment of the impact of the development on the setting of Church House and Church Cottage is required, as set out above.
Setting of Church Farmhouse
5.27 The immediate setting of the farmhouse will be enhanced visually by the removal of the barn roofs from the skyline. The removal of the monoculture of the cupressus hedge will be an enhancement to this setting. However, the removal of the hedge may reveal gaps in the garden landscaping over or through which the proposed development may be visible, this would have a negative visual impact on the immediate setting of the farmhouse, which is of significance.
5.28 Removing the function of the agricultural barns would remove associated noise and smells, however, the building is a farmhouse in a rural location, where these may be expected whether the operation is immediately adjacent or only proximal. The introduction of additional homes to the site is unlikely to have a significant negative impact on the immediate setting of the farmhouse in relation to domestic noise due to the existing presence of the stables conversion and Woodlands development. There is a slight negative impact.
5.29 The significance of the wider setting to the farmhouse is negligible to low, the impact is slightly negative. On balance the impact is therefore neutral, no test in relation to harm is required.
5.30 The overall impact is slightly negative. This is on the low side of ‘less than substantial’ impact and will need to be weighed on balance, against the public benefits of the scheme as set out in para. 134 of the NPPF.
Setting of St Nicholas Church
5.31 The immediate setting of the Church is not impacted by the proposed development.
5.32 In the wider and extended setting the removal of the barns will have a positive visual impact. The introduction of the proposed development will have a neutral to slight negative impact on the wider and extended setting of the Church, extending the village in this area formerly given over to agriculture, where cement sheeted barns are common place.
5.33 The impact of change in noise and activity related to the removal of the barns (intensive use) and replacement with housing will have a slight negative impact on the wider and extended setting of the Church.
5.34 The overall impact on the wider and extended setting is slight negative harm, with at a moderate to high level on the ‘less than substantial’ harm scale. This impact will need to be weighed on balance by Breckland, against the public benefits of the scheme as set out in para. 134 of the NPPF.
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
Setting of North Lopham Conservation Area
5.35 The removal of the barns will have a positive visual impact on the setting of the CA. The removal of the barns will only happen if the site is developed with an alternative. The loss of the agricultural function of the land adjacent to the CA is a very slight negative.
5.36 The indicative nature of the proposal makes the detailed assessment of impact on the setting of the CA difficult. On the assumption that the proposal is formalised on the basis of the application submitted the proposal has a slight negative impact on the setting of the CA. This negative impact is moderate on the ‘less than substantial’ harm scale.
5.36 The overall impact on the setting of the CA is slight negative harm, this negative impact is moderate on the ‘less than substantial’ harm scale. This impact will need to be weighed on balance, against the public benefits of the scheme as set out in para. 134 of the NPPF.
Summary Assessment of Impact on the Setting of Heritage Assets
5.37 The development of the site has been assessed for its potential impact on the setting of the listed St Nicholas Church, Church farmhouse, Church House, Church Cottage, together with the site. The removal of the barns is positive due to their size.
5.38 The overall impact of the development on the setting of the designated assets is slight negative harm, despite the positive created by the removal of the barns. This harm is moderate on the ‘less than substantial’ harm and balancing of the harm against public benefit is required as set out under para. 134 of the NPPF.
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6. Explore the way to maximise enhancement and avoid or minimise harm
6.1 The national PPGHE advises on how proposals can minimise harm to heritage assets at para. 019: ‘A clear understanding of the significance of a heritage asset and its setting is necessary to develop proposals which avoid or minimise harm…studies can reveal alternative development options, for example more sensitive designs or different orientations, that will deliver public benefits in a more sustainable and appropriate way.’
6.2 The proposals have considered their context and affected settings of heritage assets as follows: The eyesore buildings will be removed The monoculture cupressus hedge will be removed The boundary landscaping will be enhanced
6.3 The application is outline, with many details indicative on the application submitted. The proposed layout, dominance of built form, dominance of hardstanding, lack of soft landscaping to the road frontage and boundary with Church Farmhouse, and building height, form and the use of materials in combination can all be examined in detail to minimise the impact on the setting of the designated assets.
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7. Public Benefit
7.1 The outline application causes ‘less than substantial’ harm to the setting of the designated heritage assets. This harm has been assessed as being moderate on the sliding scale of ‘less than substantial’. Under para. 134 of the NPPF, where the development proposal will lead to less than substantial harm to the significance of a designated asset, the harm should be weighed against the public benefits of the proposal. Where the setting is of significance to a designated heritage asset (as set out above) then this applies to the setting of a designated asset.
7.2 A balancing decision is required in this instance, to be undertaken by Breckland Council. There is less than substantial harm caused to the immediate setting of Church Farmhouse, the wider and extended setting of the Church and the setting of the CA.
7.3 The public benefits of the proposed development are: Provision of four starter homes a form of affordable dwellings; Provision of a new 246 metre public footpath from the edge of the village to the village hall, where there is no footpath provision on an unrestricted section of a principle road; Removal of the eyesore barns; Removal of the monoculture hedge; Provision of landscaping to the new southern edge of the village; An opportunity to enhance the biodiversity of the site; Reduction in highway accident risk by moving the current farm access further from the bend; and, Enhancements to the setting of the Church, Church Farmhouse and the CA through detailed consideration of design issues through the submission of a Reserved Matters application.
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Appendix 1: Designation Description
Asset Description Church List entry Number: 1342507 Farmhouse TM 08 SW NORTH LOPHAM THE STREET (east side) 6/84 Church Farmhouse Date First Listed: 16/7/58 Grade II Farmhouse. Late C16. Timber framed with rendered wattle and daub infill and thatched roof. 2 storeys and attic. Door left of centre in moulded door‐ case under flat fluted engaged pediment. 2 4‐light C18 cross casements to right under similar pediments with restored leaded glass. One 3‐light ovolo mullioned window to left. 4 4‐light C18 cross casements to first floor, also leaded. Gabled roof with rebuilt quadruple flues on square plinth. Pan tiled gabled extension to east gable below drip shelf and blocked louvred attic window. The extension with similar C18 casements as facade. Rear elevation with 2 storey stair turret under low‐pitched gabled roof. Upper window and 4 facade windows as before. Close studded interior framing, much restored. Chamfered and tongue stopped bridging beams. Winder staircase by stack. Roof of tie beams, diminished principals and collars supporting clasped purlins. Straight wind bracing. Listing NGR: TM0364682506 Church of St List entry Number: 1077430 Nicholas TM 08 SW NORTH LOPHAM THE STREET (west side) 6/77 Church of St. Nicholas Date first listed 16/7/58 Grade I Parish church. Early C14 chancel and nave, mid C14 south aisle and porch, western tower c:1470‐1500. Partly rendered flint with ashlar dressings with plain tiled roofs and slate porch. Chancel restored 1862. Tower in 3 stages. High flushwork plinth with monograms on south face: crowned T (Trinity); crowned MR (Maria Regina); crowned A (St. Andrew ‐ previous dedication). Arched west door below 2‐light Perpendicular window. Diagonal buttresses also with flushwork. 2‐light Y ringing chamber and belfry windows. Crenellated parapet. South face has ashlar inscription panels representing donors and saints reading from the top: MRA (Maria Regina and Andrew); PD RD (unidentified); W. A (William Aleyn, donations 1500); JB (John Barker, donations 1486); MB (Marion Bussle); RB (Robert Bolle, donations 1500); Pray for the souls of John Kailli. Crenellated south aisle with diagonal buttresses and 4 alternating windows either 2‐light reticulated or 2‐light with flower motif, the east window being the latter and of 3 lights. Lancet to west of chancel, arched priest's door and 2‐light flowing window of 1862. 3‐light restored reticulated east window. Slate lean‐to C19 north vestry and one restored 2‐light window to north chancel. 2 stepped brick buttresses support north nave wall pierced 2 2‐light Perpendicular panel windows, one restored Y window and arched north door. Interior. 4 bay arcade on bevelled elongated piers with demi‐shafts east and west carrying polygonal capitals. Sunk quadrant arch mouldings. Tall tower arch. C19 aisle, nave and chancel roofs, the latter scissor braced. Fine C14 octagonal font, the bowl tapering and with lightly cut tracery motifs, the stem cut with rolls and flutes, some with wave mouldings. Early C17 crown cover
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with ball finial. Painted Royal Arms of George III on south aisle wall. Lead plate to church wardens hangs on south door dated 1795. North door blocked, as is chancel priest's door. Bench sedilia and trefoil piscina in chancel. Listing NGR: TM0363082549 Church House List entry Number: 1168776 (including Date first listed: 17‐May‐1984 Church Cottage) TM 08 SW NORTH LOPHAM THE STREET (west side) 6/78 Church House Grade II 2 Houses, originally hall house. C16. Timber framed with roughcast wattle and daub infill and pantiled roof. 2 storeys. 2 early C20 gabled porches and 3 C19 or C20 casements to ground floor. 4 windows of similar date first floor. Gabled roof with rebuilt ridge stack right of centre. External C18 west gable stack enlarged 1852. C19 clay lump utility ranges to rear at right and left, one early C18 casement and remainder of windows C20. Interior has arched service doors to west of passage, the north door of which is blocked. Much altered. Listing NGR: TM0367682555
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Appendix 2: Research and Further Information
Norfolk Historic Environment Record
No. Information 16625 Type of record: Building Name: Church Farm House, The Street Summary: A large late 16th century rendered timber framed farmhouse, two storeys high with an attic under a thatched and partly pantiled roof. It retains many original interior features. Grid Reference: TM 0368 8248 Map Sheet: TM08SW Parish: NORTH LOPHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK Full description: 21 October 1980. Visit. House, directly south of church. Large, timber framed. Two storeys, thatched, quadruple‐angled stack towards west end. Upper windows on north now have wood mullions and transoms, and lower ones wooden pediments, but these could be recent imitations. Two small windows also on ground floor. Exterior suggests late 16th/early 17th but this does not rule out older work inside. E. Rose (NAU), 21 October 1980. Mullions are ovolo. Stopped beams, winder staircase and straight windbracing. Listing (S1) confirms late 16th century date. Newspaper cuttings (S2), (S3) and (S4) in file Monument Types: HOUSE (Post Medieval ‐ 1540 AD to 1900 AD); TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Post Medieval ‐ 1540 AD to 1900 AD) Protected Status: Listed Building Sources and further reading ‐‐‐ Secondary File: Secondary file.
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
churchyard has some good gravestones, though there are no memorials visible in the church itself. Grid Reference: TM 0363 8255 Map Sheet: TM08SW Parish: NORTH LOPHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK Full description: Early English to Perpendicular (13th to 15th century). 19th century additions. Fine documented west tower. Report (S1), press cutting (S2), architectural plans (S3), correspondence (S4) and (S5), together with extract from (S6) in file. Listed (S7). E. Rose (NAU), 21 October 1980. Parish church. Early 14th century chancel and nave, mid 14th century south aisle and porch, western tower of about 1470 to 1500. Partly rendered flint with ashlar dressings with plain tiled roofs and slate porch. Chancel restored 1862. Tower in three stages. High flushwork plinth with monograms on south face : crowned T (Trinity); crowned MR (Maria Regina); crowned A (St. Andrew a previous dedication). Arched west door below two‐light Perpendicular window. Diagonal buttresses also with flushwork. Two‐light Y ringing chamber and belfry windows. Crenellated parapet. South face has ashlar inscription panels representing donors and saints reading from the top : MRA (Maria Regina and Andrew); PD RD (unidentified); W. A (William Aleyn, donations 1500); JB (John Barker, donations 1486); MB (Marion Bussle); RB (Robert Bolle, donations 1500); Pray for the soul of John Kailli. Crenellated south aisle with diagonal buttresses and four alternating windows, either two‐light reticulated or two‐light with flower motif, the east window being the latter and of three lights. Lancet to west of chancel, arched priest's door and two‐light flowing window of 1862. Three‐light restored reticulated east window. Slate lean‐to 19th century north vestry and one restored two‐light window to north chancel. Two stepped brick buttresses support north nave wall pierced two two‐light Perpendicular panel windows, one restored Y window and arched north door. Interior. Four bay arcade on bevelled elongated piers with demi‐shafts east and west carrying polygonal capitals. Sunk quadrant arch mouldings. Tall tower arch. 19th century aisle, nave and chancel roofs, the latter scissor braced. Fine 14th century octagonal font, the bowl tapering and with lightly cut tracery motifs, the stem cut with rolls and flutes, some with wave mouldings. Early 17th century crown cover with ball finial. Painted Royal Arms of George III on south aisle wall. Lead plate to church wardens hangs on south door dated 1795. North door blocked, as is chancel priest's door. Bench sedilia and trefoil piscina in chancel. Information from (S7). P. Aldridge (NLA), 5 October 2006. Monument Types: CHURCH (Medieval ‐ 1066 AD to 1539 AD); SITE (Medieval ‐ 1066 AD to 1539 AD); CHURCH (Post Medieval ‐ 1540 AD to 1900 AD); SITE (Post Medieval ‐ 1540 AD to 1900 AD) Associated Finds: DOOR (Medieval ‐ 1066 AD to 1539 AD); DOOR (Medieval ‐ 1066 AD to 1539 AD); PISCINA (Medieval ‐ 1066 AD to 1539 AD); WINDOW (Medieval ‐ 1066 AD to 1539 AD); WINDOW (Medieval ‐ 1066 AD to 1539 AD); WINDOW (Medieval ‐ 1066 AD to 1539 AD) Protected Status: Listed Building Sources and further reading: ‐‐‐ Aerial Photograph: TM 0382A‐C. ‐‐‐ Website: Knott, S. 2005. http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/lophamnorth/lophamnorth.htm.
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
‐‐‐ Secondary File: Secondary file.
21915 Type of record: Building Name: Church House and Church Cottage Summary: Two much altered two storey roughcast timber framed houses with a pantile roof. The building was originally a medieval hall house to which an upper floor and a parlour block were later added. The rim of a spouted medieval bowl was found in the grounds in 1998. Grid Reference: TM 0366 8256 Map Sheet: TM08SW Parish: NORTH LOPHAM, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK Full description: 1998. Casual find by [1] while digging garden. Shallowly buried, but may have surfaced in soil which had been excavated for a new extension. Rim of a spouted bowl in medieval unglazed sandy fabric with sparse white ?chalk inclusions. The attached spout is circular and the flat topped rim has a rounded exterior. There are shallow oblique grooves around the base of the spout and a wavy triple groove along the top of the rim. The spouted bowl is a very unusual form in medieval pottery, although it is more common in late Saxon wares. The fabric (for which an East Anglian source is not unlikely), the decoration and the rim form suggest that this piece dates to the 12th or 13th century. Information from [2]. Identified by A. Rogerson (NLA), 12 December 1999. Timber framed house on screens passage plan. Possibly a hall house, late medieval, with inserted upper floor and later parlour block; or else a 16th century two storey house with gable stack, extended in late 17th century. Later alterations. See report (S1) in file. Listed (S2). E. Rose (NLA), 8 February 2000. Monument Types: ALL HOUSE (Medieval ‐ 1066 AD to 1539 AD); BUILDING (Post Medieval ‐ 1540 AD to 1900 AD); HOUSE (Post Medieval ‐ 1540 AD to 1900 AD); TIMBER FRAMED BUILDING (Post Medieval ‐ 1540 AD to 1900 AD) Associated Finds: POT (Medieval ‐ 1066 AD to 1539 AD) Protected Status: Listed Building Sources and further reading ‐‐‐ Secondary File: Secondary file.
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JD Alston (estates) Heritage Impact Assessment, Church Farm, North Lopham IP22 2LP
Other Sources/Further Investigation
Pevsner N and Wilson B The Buildings of England: Norfolk 2: North‐West and South, London: Yale, p572: ‘Of the C16 are Church House and Church Farmhouse, on opposite sides. Church House (W side) was a timber‐framed hall house of the C16 now with four C20 casements and two C20 porches. Of the hall arrangements are remains of two arched service doors W of the hall, on blocked. Church Farmhouse is later in the C16 and was always floored. Timber‐framed again, with a pedimented door and ground‐floor C18 casements. The four clustered chimney flues are effective. Stair‐turret to rear. Roof of clasped purlins and diminished principals.’
Serpell, Michael Friend (1980) ‘History of the Lophams’, Phillimore http://www.british‐history.ac.uk/topographical‐hist‐norfolk/vol1/pp228‐241 http://www.lohp.org.uk/sites/default/files/archive/rural_history/Heritage%20Audit%20April%20201 3.pdf
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